SilverspoonGaming | 332 Posted January 11, 2021 Share Posted January 11, 2021 In the history of computer and video games, the third generation (sometimes referred to as the 8-bit era) began on July 15, 1983, with the Japanese release of two systems: the Nintendo Family Computer (commonly abbreviated to Famicom) and the Sega SG-1000. When the Famicom was released outside of Japan it was remodelled and marketed as the Nintendo Entertainment System (NES). - Wikipedia Shoot 'em up (also known as shmup or STG[1][2]) is a subgenre of video games within the shooter subgenre in the action genre. There is no consensus as to which design elements compose a shoot 'em up. Some restrict the definition to games featuring spacecraft and certain types of character movement; others allow a broader definition including characters on foot and a variety of perspectives. - Wikipedia 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverspoonGaming | 332 Posted January 11, 2021 Author Share Posted January 11, 2021 I have never been a huge fan of Shoot Em Ups, but I have played quite a few on the NES. I have never played any on the Master System, but I think that most people will vote for it from everything I have heard through the years. I refuse to play anything on the 7800, so I have no experience with what Atari was offering at the time, but on the NES, a few of my favorite Shoot Em Ups were the 1942 series, Life Force, and especially the port of Galaga. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tulpa | 3,518 Posted January 11, 2021 Share Posted January 11, 2021 I think the shoot-em-ups on the NES are really underrated. Recca Zanac Gun Nac Life Force Gradius II 1943 Dragon Spirit 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Reed Rothchild | 9,550 Editorials Team · Posted January 11, 2021 Share Posted January 11, 2021 No idea. I'm confident voting for NES though. 3 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThePhleo | 2,185 Posted January 11, 2021 Share Posted January 11, 2021 C64 is my vote. In don’t know much about classic SHMUPS (I’m more of a bullet hell kind of guy) But the sheer size of the C64 and the fact that so many NES SHMUPS are available on C64 makes me think it’s the better library. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr. Morbis | 2,091 Posted January 11, 2021 Share Posted January 11, 2021 1 hour ago, Tulpa said: I think the shoot-em-ups on the NES are really underrated. Recca Zanac Gun Nac Life Force Gradius II 1943 Dragon Spirit These are just the tip of the iceberg; had to vote NES... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sumez | 2,968 Posted January 11, 2021 Share Posted January 11, 2021 (edited) Another trick question. With games like Recca, Crisis Force, Battle Formula, Abadox, Zanac, Sqoon and Salamander why even bother compare anything to the NES here. Not that it's particularly famous for it's shooter selection, and it would easily lose to future consoles like the PC Engine, MegaDrive or Saturn, but it's got some damn good ones. The others in this poll don't. Edited January 11, 2021 by Sumez 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nesmaster14 | 436 Posted January 11, 2021 Share Posted January 11, 2021 NES. It has Recca, Sqoon, Crisis Force, Battle Formula, Final Mission, Zombie Nation, Gun Nac, Dezaemon, even Touhou bullet hell (homebrew from 2018). So many original games on the system, I think it's still vastly overlooked in the shmup realm. The coolest thing about the C64 library was it had SEUCK (Shoot 'em Up Construction Kit), however the Famicom had their own shmup kit called Dezaemon. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverspoonGaming | 332 Posted January 12, 2021 Author Share Posted January 12, 2021 Im surprised we havent seen any Master System votes, or even a mention yet... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tulpa | 3,518 Posted January 12, 2021 Share Posted January 12, 2021 (edited) There are a few good ones. R-Type is the big one. Power Strike 1 and 2 are Compile shooters. The Genesis really outshined the Master System when it came to shooters, though. Edited January 12, 2021 by Tulpa 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Webhead123 | 679 Posted January 12, 2021 Share Posted January 12, 2021 14 hours ago, SilverspoonGaming said: Im surprised we havent seen any Master System votes, or even a mention yet... I may be one of 3 people on the planet that actually likes Space Harrier on SMS. Yes, it chugs along at about 5 frames per second...but I find that makes it into its own kind of experience and is still very fun. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MagusSmurf | 577 Posted January 12, 2021 Share Posted January 12, 2021 Didn't like Power Strike's power-up mechanics. The secondary weapons besides Weapon 1 have time limits and run out unless you collect more of whichever weapon number you have, upgrading it in the process. Specific weapon numbers generally didn't seem common enough for you to avoid easily hitting the time limit and even when they show up, if you shoot them when they're still too high up on the screen, they'll probably scroll off before you can get them. As a result all secondary weapons besides 1 seemed basically worthless since a fully upgraded 1 was consistently there and good. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DefaultGen | 5,414 Posted January 12, 2021 Share Posted January 12, 2021 I mostly care about vertical shooters, so NES kind of wins by default since Power Strike is the only vertical game I've played anywhere else that holds a candle to it. Although I think NES wins by default anyway. Atari has Galaga and Xevious. Cool grandpa, but we're playing Life Force and 1943 on Nintendo. I haven't played a lot of Commodore shooters, but in my biased yet correct opinion, Americans and Europeans are just not as good as making shooting games or video games in general as Japanese. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DefaultGen | 5,414 Posted January 12, 2021 Share Posted January 12, 2021 Also if we're pretending C64 is a console and limiting it to cartridge games, that removes a tonnnnnn of the C64 library FWIW. A ton I haven't played, but a ton nonetheless. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bearcat-Doug | 5,105 Posted January 12, 2021 Share Posted January 12, 2021 The NES has enough good ones, that I can't imagine the other systems being close. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
T-Pac | 7,568 Graphics Team · Posted January 12, 2021 Share Posted January 12, 2021 The only Master System space-shooter I've played is Astro Warrior. I had a blast with it, but I'd still rank it just below similar NES offerings like Star Soldier. I'm sure I'd love R-Type on the SMS as well, but it likely wouldn't hold a candle to similar strategy-based shooters on the NES, like Image Fight, Action in New York, or my favorite space shooter of all time Abadox. I've never played anything on the Atari 7800 or C64, but space-shooters are on the top of my list if that day ever comes. -CasualCart 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverspoonGaming | 332 Posted January 12, 2021 Author Share Posted January 12, 2021 3 hours ago, DefaultGen said: I mostly care about vertical shooters, so NES kind of wins by default since Power Strike is the only vertical game I've played anywhere else that holds a candle to it. Although I think NES wins by default anyway. Atari has Galaga and Xevious. Cool grandpa, but we're playing Life Force and 1943 on Nintendo. I haven't played a lot of Commodore shooters, but in my biased yet correct opinion, Americans and Europeans are just not as good as making shooting games or video games in general as Japanese. Technically the GS is a console, and not a PC, and for that reason I included it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sumez | 2,968 Posted January 13, 2021 Share Posted January 13, 2021 Kind of a miss to not include the MSX/MSX2 though. Although the early shmups clearly suffer from not having smooth scrolling on the first few iterations of the system, it's played a pretty huge role in the genre, partly due to Konami's involvement. It had even more compile shooters than the NES or Master system did, featuring both more Zanac and Aleste titles. The Parodius series started here, and it has a couple of completely unique Gradius games too, partly inspired by the originals (similar to the NES's take on Salamander/Life Force). And let's not forget about Space Manbow and Mr. Ghost. There's a ton I don't even know about, it's unfortunate that the platform has become such a niche thing. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
croagunk | 798 Posted January 24, 2021 Share Posted January 24, 2021 In my opinion, some of the best shoot em ups are on the NES. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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